Repeating firearm for trench warfare.



C. J. COOKE.

REPEATING FIREARM FOR TRENCH WARFARE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1916.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Didi

GHABLES JOHN 000KB, 0F HONG'KONG, CHINA.

BEPEATING FIREARM FOR TBENGH WARFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 19116.

Application filed March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,570.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES JOHN Cooxn, a subject of the King of England, residing at Hongkong, China, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Repeating Firearms for Trench Warfare; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to firearms, but more particularly to machine guns, or small arms of the rapid-fire or magazine type, as also to novel and improved means for mounting and manipulating the same. It is designed, arranged and especially well adapted to meet defensive requirements of trench warfare, the arm proper being directly mounted upon an elongated magazine of large capacity, which in turn is adjustably mounted upon a supporting rod or pike,thus providing for trenches of varying depths,and further equipped with a suitable periscope by means of which latter the gun may be sighted without exposing an intrenched operator to fire of the enemy.

In modern warfare it is a well recognized fact that an efiort is usually made to concentrate the greatest number of siege guns pos sible upon a comparatively short front in order to prepare the way for invading forces, and for trench blasting operations. When the ai:illery fire ceases an effort is then usually made to capture he enemys works by charging infantry in close or mass formation, so that in the last analysis a military invasion becomes practically a hand to hand conflict, either with bayonets or close range small arms. Under these conditions it is apparent that intrenched defenders provided with an equipment such as contemplated by the present invention, must of necessity have an immense advantage over an advancing adversary in mass formation, in that a veritable stream of death-dealing missiles may thus be literally poured into the invading ranks, from numberless rapidfire machine arms, of the class indicated, without exposing their individual operators.

\Vith these and other objects and advantages in view the present invention will now be particularly described, and then set forth in the claims following.

In the accompanylng drawings which form part of this application for Letters Patent, and whereon corresponding characters refer to like parts in the several views, Figure 1 represents the invention in side elevation, this figure being partly broken away at places the better to disclose its structural arrangement and combination of parts. Fig. 2 is a complete side elevation showing the invention as mounted and in position for use in defending trenches, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing in horizontal section a trigger-pull of novel construction.

Referencebeing had to the drawings and characters thereon, 1 indicates an automatic fire-arm, which, obviously, may be of any approved type, although in the present drawings a hammerless magazine pistol of the well known Colt type is shown for purposes of illustration. Into the hollow handle of pistol 1 is introduced the upper end of an elongated magazine 2, which also serves as a direct support for the arm, and is provided upon its upper exterior portion with a stop 3 to positively limit the extent of its penetration into the pistol handle.

Within and at the rear of the pistol handle is pivotally supported a spring-pressed magazine-catch or other retaining means 4, one end of which is normally notched into the surface of the magazine 2, and the other end of which projects from the handle as a convenient means of releasing said catch to permit withdrawal of the magazine. At its lowermost end the said magazine 2, of substantially rectangular cross sectional contour, is provided with a wedge-shaped closure 5, serving as a bottom rest for one end of a magazine spring 6, the opposite end thereof being fitted with a cup-shaped follower 7 by means of which cartridges 8 may be elevated and successiveiy delivered into the firing chamber in position for firing, precisely as they are presented from the shorter magazine ordinarily contained wholly within the pistol handle. This magazine is telescopically received within a tubular socket 9, of corresponding cross sectional shape, having a flaring upper end 10, to facilitate rapid introduction of the magazine, and a closed bottom 11, upon which said magazine 2 is adapted to rest, as clearly shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings. Near the upper end of the socket member 9 there is provided a spring-pressed catch 12, which, projecting through an opening in said socket, rests normally in a notch formed in the front derstood manner.

wall of the magazine to prevent an accidental upward movement thereof with relation to said socket.

Secured to the rear of socket 9 either as an integral or detachable part thereof, is a tubular periscope 13, having a sight inlet 14 and a sight outlook 15, at the bottom and top thereof respectively, and mirrors 16, 17 positionedopposite said inletand outlet orifices at an angle of forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the periscope, whereby rays of light may be diverted from an upper to a lower plane in thewell un- It will'be noted that the said outlet orifice 15 is of liberal proportions thereby permitting the outer casing or slide of the'arm to recoil into the upper end of periscope 13 after each shot for the sake of compactness of structure.

Upon one side of the periscope 13 in horizontal alinement with the firing trigger 18 of the arm, is an inclosed sheave 19 for changing the direction of pull of a freely swinging plumb line or trigger-cord 20, the latter having at its lower end a finger rin 21, and being secured at its opposite en to a firing wire 22. This firing wire 22 traversing one side of the pistol handle as shown by Fig. 1 passes thence through an elastic button 23 and across the face of-trigger 18 forming a trigger hook 24:, beyond which it reenters the said button as at 25, to assist in retaining the latter in position. I

The aforesaid tubular magazine socket 9 at or near its lower end, is enlarged as at 26 and bored longitudinally to receive the upper end of a supporting pike 27, also by preference of relatively light tubular formation, upon which the hereinbefore described parts are thus rendered vertically adjustable, being retained in such adjusted positions by means of a set screw 28. As shown by Fig. 2 the lower extremity 29 of the pike 27 is sharpened where itenters the ground, and is guarded by a surroundmg flange 30 to limit its depth of penetration. In addition, the structure may be provided with a spiked side or horizontal support 31 for use when desired, the same being provided with a shoulder rest 32 crossing its rear end, an intermediate attaching socket 9, as shown by Fig. 2, according may be adjustably secured at shoulder height of the operator, either upon the pike 27 as shown by Fig. 1, or upon the tubular socket 9, as shown by Fig. 2, according to the length, and consequently the capacity, of the magazine 2 employed.

The foregoing being a description of my invention in its best form of construction at present known to me it should be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular arrangement and combination of parts shown and described, but on the contrary -to its firing angle. :obvious that the entire arm may be freely rocontemplate various changes and modifications thereof within the spirit of my invention, such for example, as the use of repeating fire-arms of various types, the substitution for spring 6 of a tension spring, a rack and pinion, or other means for elevating cartridges 8; or the substitution for cord 20 of various arrangements of rods and levers as the means of pulling trigger 18, and to all such modifications I lay claim the same as if herein set forth.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows: Presuming an operator, or a number of operators, each to be'intrenched andequipped as indicated by Fig. 2 of the drawings, with the arm 1 projecting slightly above the trench, and properly adjusted as In this position it is tated horizontally in the radius of a circle upon the pike 27 as a center, when side sup port 31 is not in engagement with the front wall of the trench; and even when the trench wall is soengaged by a side support 31, as shown, it is still possible to effect a horizontal rotation of each individual arm through an arc of a circle quite suflicient for the intended purposes. In this position spring 6 in magazine 2 is constantly exerting itself to automatically and successively feed cartridges 8 upward into the firing chamber of the repeating arm 1, which is therefore always charged and ready for instant firing. With his eye to the periscope 13 the operator is now enabled to accurately sight the arm from a plane below that in which it fires and,

to thus observe results without exposing himself above the trench wall. Pull upon the cord 20 operating through the firing rod 21 and hook 241 slightly compresses the elastic button 23, depresses tri ger 18 and causes a discharge of the arm. bviously this op eration may be repeated with great speed and precision until all cartridges have been exhausted from the magazine 2, thus pouring a stream of shots into an advancing enemy. And it will be observed that the magazine may be recharged at any time, or a new one already charged may be instantly substituted if found necessary. Moreover, if in the course of use it should become necessary or advisable, pike 27 may be upended and used as a bayonet, or if rapid firing causes overheating of the arm, it may in like manner be upended and cooled by immersion in a bucket of water. It may be noted further that compactness of structure is an important consideration in trench warfare, and in the present instance this requirement has been carefully complied with, even to the exillustrated ordinarily includes a magazlne equal only in length to the handle or stock of the arm, and wholly confined therein. Such ordinary magazine if desired, maybe instantly replaced in the handle of the arm at any time after first withdrawing the elongated special magazine 2, and merely forcing the elastic button 23 laterally through the trigger guard, thereby releasing the arm, and almost instantly restoring same to its ordinary conditions.

It will be observed that the trigger cord or plumb line 20 swinging freely from sheave 19 across the side of periscope 13, may if-desired be utilizedto indicate the angle of elevation of the firearm. If said line he in register with the longitudinal center of the periscope body, obviously the arm will be in a horizontal position, and if at its lower end this line hangs back of such center the arm will then be upwardly inclined more or'less according to the relative position of said line at its lower end.

Having thus described my invention, what I now claim and desire to secure'by Letters Patent is:

1. In a repeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine extending below said stock and constituting also a sub-handle for the arm, and means for actuating the trigger from a point adjacent the lower end of said sub-handle, by agency of a freely swinging plumb line.

2. In a repeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine extending below said stock constituting also means for elevating said arm, a periscope for sighting the arm from a plane below that in which it is fired, and means for actuating the trigger from a position adjacent the lower end of said magazine comprising a plumb line trigger-cord depending from said periscope.

3. In a repeating fire-arm. the combina- I tion with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine extending below said stock, vertically adjustable means for mounting said magazine upon a supporting pike,'and a periscope by agency whereof the arm may be sighted from a plane below that in which it is fired.

4:. In a repeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of a magazine extending below said stock, a tubular socket for receiving said magazine, a supportin pike upon which the socket is vertically a justable, and a periscope relatively fixed with relation to the arm by agency whereof the arm may be sighted from a plane below that in which it is fired. I

'5. In a repeating fire-arm the combina tion with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine extending below said stock, vertically adjustable means for mounting said magazine upon a supporting pike, a periscope by agency whereof the arm may be sighted from a plane below that in which it is fired, and trigger connections operable from a position ad acent the lower end of said elongated magazlne. 3

6. In a repeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine extending from the nfiring chamber to a point below the stock of the arm, a support upon which said magazine is vertically mounted, a periscope also carried by said support whereby the arm may be sighted from a plane below that-in which it is. fired, and a depending trigger connection whereby the triglger may be actuated by a downward pu 7. In arepeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine projecting below the confines of said stock, a vertically adjustible support for said magazine, a periscope mounted upon said support whereby the arm may be sighted from a plane below that in which it is fired, an elastic button located within the trigger guard of the arm, a trigger hook embedded in said button engaging the trigger and adapted to actuate same horizontally, and means for imparting horizontal movement to said trigger hook by vertical depression of a depending trigger extension.

8. In a repeating fire-arm the combination with a suitable stock and firing mechanism, of an elongated magazine projecting below the confines of said stock, a vertically adjustable and horizontally rotatable sup- 

